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If I Were Luísa Sonza

If I Were Luísa Sonza

TV-MA

netflix

Scandal and artistry intertwine in this docuseries about Brazil’s most controversial young pop star

7.2

TV Show

Brazil
Portuguese
Documentary
2023
ISABEL NASCIMENTO SILVA
Luísa Sonza

TLDR

I really thought this was just going to be another pop star documentary made to rebrand their image, but… Wow. This felt like something that was needed.

What it's about

After her meteoric rise to fame, and the succeeding controversies, Brazil’s most polarizing popstar opens up about her life, her art, and her scandals in this docuseries.

The take

Today’s child pop stars have a lot on their plate. On top of the already strenuous touring schedule, they have to deal with the fact that every move they make can be recorded, saved, and spread online just to cause their own downfall. Brazilian popstar Luisa Sonza grew up with the spotlight, and at the ripe old age of 25, has gone through two messy break-ups, a nude leak, and a racist controversy, all while creating two of her most captivating albums so far. If I Were Luisa Sonza portrays her at her most vulnerable– through the creating process, and the team meetings, and the doctor visits– but also at her most defiant, as she turns her scandals into art. The resulting intimate documentary might just be one part of her life, as she declares, but it’s just the precise viewpoint from this generation’s artists that is needed to question what it means to be a young artist in this day and age.

What stands out

Much has been said about the parasocial relationship between star and their fanbase. If I Were Luisa Sonza portrays the Brazilian pop star in a vulnerable state, complete with messy hair and acne scars. However, instead of meekly apologizing for her nude leaks, she rightfully doesn’t do so–she outright swears at people for it, and there’s a certain freeness with how she portrays her body in her own home. She turns her body, which has been leaked and sexualized without her consent, to something casual, something normal. And her other controversy isn’t brushed aside either, but explained here with the full context, and includes her upcoming commitments to addressing structural racism. Of course, this may just be part of the standard star rebranding tactic, and time will tell if she truly pushes through with this promise. But it’s certainly refreshing to see If I Were Luisa Sonza take ownership in these events, rather than painting her only as a victim.

Comments

I think it really shows a part of her life we don’t see often and I’m proud of her dealing with those people is hell

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